Mets survive Phils' rally in 9th

Updated 12:32 am, Sunday, July 21, 2013

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NEW YORK, NY - JULY 20: Daniel Murphy #28 of the New York Mets gets a hit as Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies defends on July 20, 2013 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The New York Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 163494604 less

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 20: Daniel Murphy #28 of the New York Mets gets a hit as Carlos Ruiz #51 of the Philadelphia Phillies defends on July 20, 2013 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens ... more

Photo: Elsa

Mets survive Phils' rally in 9th

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The rookie pitcher who got the biggest outs for the Mets on Saturday was not the one with all the hype.

Germen (1-1) escaped a bases-loaded jam and struck out three in 12/3 hitless innings for his first major-league win.

"He did an amazing job," Byrd said. "That could be a scary lineup to face when you're a young kid."

Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff homer, and Chase Utley had a two-run shot in the ninth for the Phillies. They put the potential tying run on second before Bobby Parnell retired Darin Ruf on a game-ending liner to second.

The series finale Sunday features a marquee matchup of All-Star pitchers: Mets ace Matt Harvey against lefty Cliff Lee.

Wheeler wiggled out of early trouble in his sixth major-league start, but the prized right-hander needed 106 pitches to get through 42/3 innings in 93-degree heat.

"I just told him to hang in there. I just said, 'Look, you can only do it as best you can for as long as you can,' " Mets manager Terry Collins said. "You could just tell he was out of gas. Yeah, I could have let him go one more hitter, but we're trying to win games, too."

Hamels (4-12) allowed three runs in a 35-pitch first inning and was pulled for a pinch-hitter after five. The three-time All-Star and 2008 World Series MVP leads the NL in losses. Hamels, who was 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in three previous July starts, dropped to 6-12 in 24 outings against the Mets.

Germen struck out streaking Delmon Young with the bases loaded to preserve a 3-2 lead in the fifth.